[Buddha-l] Victimized vegans?

[[DPD Web] Shen Shi'an]

Read somewhere years ago that there are lots of pesticides (some 49
times more) used to produce meat - as animals need to feed upon much
crops in their lifetime. By default, meat-eating causes more deaths than
direct eating of crops. 

Yup, think no one here would agree veganism is 'pure'. It ain't - this
is Samsara and Dukkha is everywhere. But it's a diet that tries harder
than most others - by more consciously avoiding killing and exploitation
of animals. Even vegan organic produce surely accidentally kills some
insects. GM food is still controversial - Does digesting genetically
modified stuff modify our genes in time - maybe? - for better or worse? 

On clearing of land and such, most land is cleared for grazing and 2/3
of the Earth's crops are for animal feed. Topsoil is lost by excess
grazing too. And of course, greenhouse gases produced by producing
animals for meat is more than that of the world's motor vehicles
combined - See Time magazine excerpt on this -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zeph/message/1092 , which has going vege
as one of its suggested 50 ways to save the planet.


-----Original Message-----
From: Margaret Gouin [mailto:Margaret.Gouin at bristol.ac.uk] 
Sent: Monday, 14 May, 2007 3:49 PM
To: Buddhist discussion forum
Subject: RE: [Buddha-l] Victimized vegans?


On Mon, May 14, 2007 4:09 am, [DPD Web] Shen Shi'an wrote:
> Some related thoughts... Moderation...

> As a mother would risk her life
> to protect her child, her only child,
> even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
> with regard to all beings. - Metta Sutta
>
What are 'all beings', then? Only animals? What kind? What size? The
argument against eating meat because animals are killed is nice and
neat,
but the apparent corollary that vegetarianism/veganism is 'pure' because
no animals are killed seems to me a bit of a disconnect. What about all
the animals and other life forms that are killed in agriculture by
clearing the land, ploughing, etc.? What about the extensive genetic
manipulation of major food sources such as soya and wheat, and the
proliferation of chemical poisons soaking into the ground in the name of
increasing yield? What about the appalling labour practices of many of
the
big agricultural companies in North America and Europe, and in many
countries dependent on exporting exotic vegetables and fruits to
northern
countries out-of-season? Are you saying that's all okay because 'no
(large
warm-blooded four-footed) animals were killed in the making of this
carrot'?

Just curious...

-- 
Margaret Gouin
PhD Candidate
Centre for Buddhist Studies
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Bristol (UK)

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